Bollywood actors intensify cola wars

B-Town celebs seem to be upping the cool quotient this summer as they are spotted cooling it off on the ad space. The cola war notwithstanding, post SRK's feat on the ad space with the B-Town bigwig endorsing a mango drink, the heat seems to be full on with the Bolly brigade steaming up the ad space in full throttle.

It's not just at the box office that these stars are trying to outwit each other. The cola war is as intense as the Friday release with Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor et al singing various cola endorsements and thereby hogging the ad space. And why not, says the ad world. "Globally, biggest stars endorsing a cola is seen as a matter of prestige. And cola is one category which has always used celebs. This phenomenon is going to last," says Indranil Das Blah, partner of a leading talent and entertainment management company. In terms of brand recall, Bolly celeb's presence matters substantially. Brand analyst Anand Halve says, "Film stars apart, from cricketers, have always been the key resources on whom endorsements are banked. This is one group which is ready to be worshipped as icons."

The young brigade suffusing the ad space also makes the cola war all the more interesting. "A cola brand stands for the young audience. So a young star as face of a very respective brand benefits from the association. While the brand gets to identify with the fresh talent with potential, a younger star gets more visibility," says Das Blah.

It's about a brand striking a connect with the consumer. So while SRK, Saif Ali Khan, Katrina Kaif, Imran Khan and Parineeti Chopra have geared up for their innings on the ad space with fruit drink endorsements, the storyboards too are getting an aam and apple twist. Ad whiz Prahlad Kakar says, "Bollywood celebs have a strong equity when it comes to consumers. The visual of SRK having a mango drink makes one just go out and pick one. It also depends whether a brand can afford a star celeb as an endorser." Prathap Suthan, chief creative explorer of an ad agency says, "There are multiple players and everyone is fighting for the same share of thirst. It is, however, important to choose the celeb. They have to be in line with the soul of the brand, otherwise it is odd."